Method of constructing replication environment and storage system

ABSTRACT

A management computer collects a usage condition of a volume from a host computer and a storage apparatus at each site, consolidates management thereof, and prevents a volume from duplicating among applications as a copy source. This makes it possible to select a used volume in an application as a copy source without excess or deficiency and to create a copy pair configuration definition without duplication or incompatibility. If a replication environment is constructed in a large-scale storage system, the consolidated management of a usage condition of a volume collected from the host computer and the storage apparatus at each site makes it possible to create a copy pair configuration definition by a task constituted by a plurality of applications.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2008-244216 filed on Sep. 24, 2008, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method of constructing a replicationenvironment in which a copy pair of a volume used by a group constitutedby a plurality of applications is created in a storage system includinga host computer, a storage apparatus, and a management computer; and tothe storage system.

2. Description of the Related Art

Along with a wide spread of information systems, an amount of datahandled by computing systems has been increased explosively. Importanceof the handled data has also grown drastically. A high-level reliabilityin protecting such data has been required. Thus, a system of disasterrecovery (DR) which can protect data from a logic failure (systemfailure) and a physical disaster has increasingly become important.

In the DR system, data can be duplicated by storing data outputted froma host computer which performs a task, not only in a volume in a storageapparatus directly connected to the host computer but also in a volumeof another storage apparatus.

Typically, so-called local copy and remote copy are used in aninformation system which requires a high-level reliability. The localcopy refers to a copying in which a data in a volume in a storageapparatus is copied in another volume of the same storage apparatus. Theremote copy refers to a copying in which a data in a volume in a storageapparatus is copied in a volume in another storage apparatus. The localcopy and the remote copy are collectively referred to as a replication.With a technique of the replication, if a volume has any trouble andcannot perform its operations, another volume can take over them using aduplicated data stored therein. Two volumes as a copy source and a copydestination in a replication relationship are collectively called a copypair.

A replication is typically performed by selecting a volume used by anapplication desired to be copied, as a copy source, and selecting avolume having a free space sufficient to newly create a copy from thecopy source, as a copy destination. This operation creates aconfiguration definition of a copy pair. A remote copy is performed by,as a preliminary operation, executing an initial copy based oninformation on the copy pair configuration definition prepared asdescribed above. The initial copy means a copying of all data in thecopy source volume into the copy destination volume. After executing theinitial copy, an update copy is performed to the copy destination volumeeach time the host computer provides write data to the copy sourcevolume. If a storage system as a copy source has any trouble, a task inthe copy source volume can be restored using the copy destination volumein a storage system as a copy destination.

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application, Publication No. 2005-11311discloses a technique of creating a copy pair configuration definitionby specifying an application as a copy source, in a storage systemincluding a plurality of host computers and a plurality of storageapparatuses.

In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application, Publication No. 2005-11311, aresource at a copy destination (a secondary computer resource) isselected based on at least a set of user-specified policy. The policyused herein includes characteristics (for example, reliability) of asecondary computer resource and a cost thereof. Nevertheless, such aselection does not give sufficient consideration to a task executed inthe host computer.

A problem in constructing a DR system is an environment construction ofa replication by a task as a unit. This is because, if a task isconstituted by a group configured by a plurality of applications,protection of one or more specific applications alone is not sufficientto carry on the task. Such a task may be constituted by a plurality ofassociated applications, or a specific application in the task may havea cluster configuration.

The present invention has been made in an attempt to solve theaforementioned problems. The present invention provides a method ofconstructing a replication environment in which a copy pair of a volumeused by a group constituted by a plurality of applications in a storagesystem is created, and the storage system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A management computer consolidates management of a usage condition of avolume collected from a host computer and a storage apparatus at eachsite and prevents a volume from duplicating among applications as a copysource, by an application as a unit. This makes it possible to select aused volume of an application as a copy source without excess ordeficiency and to create a copy pair configuration definition withoutduplication or incompatibility.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become moreapparent from the following detailed description of the invention, whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying exemplary drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a general configuration of a storage systemaccording to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a management computeraccording to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a host computer accordingto the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a storage apparatusaccording to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an application configurationtable stored in the host computer according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an application configurationtable stored in the management computer according to the firstembodiment.

FIG. 7A is a diagram showing an example of a volume configuration tableat a primary site in the management computer according to the firstembodiment. FIG. 7B is a diagram showing an example of a volumeconfiguration table at a remote site in the management computeraccording to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a copy pair configurationdefinition table stored in the management computer and the storageapparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a graphical user interface(GUI) according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing of copy pair configurationdefinition creation according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of an application configurationtable stored in a management computer according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a cluster configuration tableaccording to the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a composite applicationconfiguration table according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a GUI according to the thirdembodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a configuration of a management computeraccording to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a configuration of a host computeraccording to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a configuration of a volume in a storageapparatus according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of a VM (virtual machine)configuration table stored in the host computer according to the fourthembodiment.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a VM configuration tablestored in the management computer according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 20A is a diagram showing an example of a volume configuration tableat a primary site stored in the management computer according to thefourth embodiment.

FIG. 20B is a diagram showing an example of a volume configuration tableat a remote site stored in the management computer according to thefourth embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an example of a GUI according to the fourthembodiment.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a processing of copy pair configurationdefinition creation according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an example of a GUI according to a fifthembodiment.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing a processing of copy pair configurationdefinition creation according to the fifth embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

Next is described an embodiment of the present invention. The presentinvention is not, however, limited to the embodiment described below.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1 shows a general configuration of a storage system according tothe first embodiment. The storage system includes a storage apparatus1300A (which may be collectively referred to as a storage apparatus1300; ditto below), and host computers 1200A (1200), 1200B (1200), 1200C(1200), which are connected via a data network 1500A (1500) (which mayalso be referred to as a first network). The storage system alsoincludes a storage apparatus 1300B (1300) and host computers 1200D(1200), 1200E (1200), 1200F (1200), which are connected via a datanetwork 1500B (1500). The management computer 1100, host computers 1200,and storage apparatus 1300 are connected via a management network 1400(which may also be referred to as a second network). The storageapparatuses 1300A and 1300B are connected via a remote network 1600.

The data network 1500 herein is a storage area network (SAN) but may bean IP network or any other data communication network. The managementnetwork 1400 herein is an IP network, but may be a SAN or any other datacommunication network.

The management computer 1100 herein is directly connected to the storageapparatus 1300 but may acquire necessary information via the hostcomputer 1200. The data network 1500 and the management network 1400herein are separately provided but the data network 1500 may also serveas the management network 1400. Or, the management computer 1100 and thehost computer 1200 may be one single computer unit. For convenience ofdescription, the storage system shown in FIG. 1 includes two storageapparatuses 1300, six host computers 1200, and one management computer1100. In the present invention, however, the number of those units isnot limited to this.

In this embodiment, a set of the host computer 1200, the storageapparatus 1300, and the data network 1500 for connecting the two formersis herein referred to as a site. A plurality of sites is typicallyprovided at geographically separated locations. This is because, if asite at a certain location is damaged and cannot continue itsoperations, another site at a separated location which is not damagedcan take over them. In FIG. 1, the storage system includes a primarysite 1700 and a remote site 1800 which is a backup site of the primarysite 1700. This configuration is referred to as a two data center (2DC)configuration.

In the 2DC configuration, a remote copy is performed between the primarysite 1700 and the remote site 1800 via the remote network 1600. Theremote copy herein means a technique of duplicating a data by copying adata from a volume in a storage apparatus into a volume in anotherstorage apparatus. Using the remote copy technique, if a volume has anytrouble and cannot perform its operations, another volume can take overthem using a duplicated data stored therein. Two volumes as a copysource and a copy destination in a remote copy relationship arecollectively called a copy pair. For convenience of description, thestorage system of the present invention includes two sites. However, thenumber of those units is not limited to this.

FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4 show configurations of the managementcomputer 1100, host computer 1200, and storage apparatus 1300,respectively.

In FIG. 2, the management computer 1100 includes an input unit 1150 suchas a keyboard and a mouse, a CPU (central processing unit) 1160, adisplay unit 1170 such as a LCD (liquid crystal display), a memory 1130,a local disk 1110, and a management interface 1180 for sending andreceiving a data or a control instruction for a system management to andfrom the host computer 1200. The local disk 1110 is a disk unit such asa hard disk drive connected to the management computer 1100 and stores amanagement program 1120 therein. The management interface 1180 is aninterface to the management network 1400.

The management program 1120 is loaded into the memory 1130 in themanagement computer 1100 and is executed by the CPU 1160. The managementprogram 1120 is a program in which a function of performing aconfiguration definition of a copy pair is provided via the input unit1150 such as a keyboard or a mouse or the display unit 1170 such as agraphical user interface (GUI).

The management program 1120 includes: an application configurationinformation acquisition unit 1122 for acquiring information on a usedvolume in an application in a host computer at each site; an applicationconfiguration table creation unit 1124 for creating a table in whichinformation acquired by the application configuration informationacquisition unit 1122 is arranged; an unused volume informationacquisition unit 1125 for acquiring information on an unused volume froma storage microprogram in the storage apparatus 1300; a site volumeconfiguration table creation unit 1126 for creating a table in which thetable created by the application configuration table creation unit 1124and the information acquired by the unused volume informationacquisition unit 1125 are arranged; a GUI display unit 1127 forproviding an interface of creating a configuration definition of a copypair to a user; and a copy pair configuration definition creation unit1129 for conducting a processing of copy pair configuration definitioncreation.

The management table 1140 in the memory 1130 includes; an applicationconfiguration table 1142 (which may also be referred to as applicationconfiguration information, see FIG. 6) created by the applicationconfiguration table creation unit 1124; a site volume configurationtable 1144 (which may also be referred to as site volume configurationinformation, see FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B) created by the site volumeconfiguration table creation unit 1126; and a copy pair configurationdefinition table 1146 (see FIG. 8) representing configuration definitioninformation of a copy pair. Details of each of the tables will bedescribed later.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a host computer according to the firstembodiment. In FIG. 3, the host computer 1200 includes an input unit1240 such as a keyboard and a mouse, a CPU 1220, a display unit 1250such as a LCD, a memory 1270, a storage interface 1260, a managementinterface 1265, and a local disk 1210.

The management interface 1265 is an interface to the management network1400 and sends and receives a data or a control instruction to and fromthe management computer 1100. The storage interface 1260 is an interfaceto the data network 1500 and sends and receives a data or a controlinstruction to and from the storage apparatus 1300. The local disk 1210is a disk unit connected to the host computer 1200, such as a hard diskdrive and stores therein a plurality of applications 1212, 1213, 1214and an agent program 1216.

The plurality of applications 1212, 1213 and 1214 are loaded into thememory 1270 in the host computer 1200 and are executed by the CPU 1220.Each of the applications 1212, 1213, and 1214 is a program for executinga task by reading or writing data to a volume in the storage apparatus1300. Each of the applications 1212, 1213 and 1214 may be a DBMS (database management system) or a file system. For convenience ofdescription, FIG. 3 shows three applications. In the present invention,however, the number of the applications is not limited to this.

The agent program 1216 is loaded into the memory 1270 of the hostcomputer 1200 and is executed by the CPU 1220. The agent program 1216 isa program for acquiring information from an application based oninstructions from the management computer 1100. The agent program 1216includes: an application configuration information acquisition unit 1217for acquiring information on a used volume in an application of its ownhost computer 1200; and an application configuration table creation unit1218 for creating a table in which information acquired by theapplication configuration information acquisition unit 1217 is arranged.An application configuration table 1280 (see FIG. 5) in the memory 1270will be described later.

FIG. 4 shows a configuration of a storage apparatus according to thefirst embodiment. In FIG. 4, the storage apparatus 1300 includes; a diskunit 1310 for storing data therein; a disk controller 1320 forcontrolling the storage apparatus 1300.

The disk unit 1310 includes a plurality of volumes 1311, 1312 and 1313.A volume used herein may be a physical volume such as a hard disk drive(HDD) or a logical volume such as a logical device. A type of the volumeis not limited in the present invention. For convenience of description,FIG. 4 shows three volumes. In the present invention, however, thenumber of the volumes is not limited to this. A volume can make a copypair.

The disk controller 1320 includes a host interface 1328, a remoteinterface 1326, a disk interface 1325, a memory 1321, a CPU 1323, amanagement interface 1322, and a local disk 1327.

The management interface 1322 is an interface to the management network1400 and sends and receives a data or a control instruction to and fromthe management computer 1100. The local disk 1327 is a disk unitconnected to the disk controller 1320, such as a hard disk and storestherein a storage microprogram 1330.

The storage microprogram 1330 is loaded into the memory 1321 in the diskcontroller 1320 and is executed by the CPU 1323. In this embodiment, thestorage microprogram 1330 is stored in the local disk 1327 in the diskcontroller 1320. In the present invention, however, a configuration isnot limited to this. For example, the programs and tables may be storedin a flash memory provided in the disk controller 1320 or in any disk inthe disk unit 1310.

The storage microprogram 1330 receives instructions from the unusedvolume information acquisition unit 1125 and the copy pair configurationdefinition creation unit 1129 in the management computer 1100. Based onthe instructions, the storage microprogram 1330 acquires a name of asite to which itself belongs and a usage condition of a volume in itsown storage apparatus and provides controls on a copy pair. The usagecondition of a volume includes information on whether or not the volumeis used by an application or an OS (Operating System). An example of thecontrols of a copy pair is creation of a copy pair. The copy pairconfiguration definition table 1146 (see FIG. 8) in the memory 1321 is atable representing information on the configuration definition of a copypair created by the management computer 1100. The storage apparatus 1300executes a copy task using the information in the copy pairconfiguration definition table 1324.

The host interface 1328 is an interface to the data network 1500 andsends and receives a data or control instruction to and from the hostcomputer 1200. The remote interface 1326 is an interface to the remotenetwork 1600 and transfers data in an operation of a site-to-site remotecopy. The disk interface 1325 is an interface to the disk unit 1310 andsends and receives a data or control instruction thereto and therefrom.

FIG. 5 shows an example of an application configuration table 1280stored in the host computer 1200 according to the first embodiment. InFIG. 5, the application configuration table 1280 stored in the hostcomputer 1200 includes an identifier of an application 5100 and anidentifier of a volume 5150 used by the application. The application5100 stores therein an identifier of an application which is installedon the host computer 1200 and uses a volume in the storage apparatus1300. The volume 5150 used by the application stores therein anidentifier of a volume used by the application shown at the application5100. In this embodiment, the application configuration informationacquisition unit 1217 (see FIG. 3) can acquire information on anapplication from its own host computer 1200.

Reference numerals 5010 to 5030 each indicate information on a volumeused by the application installed on the host computer 1200 at theprimary site 1700 in the storage system shown in FIG. 1. Morespecifically, the reference numeral 5010 indicates that an applicationreferred to as AP1 uses only a volume referred to as VOL1. The referencenumeral 5020 indicates that an application referred to as AP2 uses onlya volume referred to as VOL2. The reference numeral 5030 indicates thatan application referred to as AP3 uses two volumes referred to as VOL2and VOL3. In other words, the applications AP2 and AP3 share the volumeVOL2.

FIG. 6 shows an example of an application configuration table stored inthe management computer 1100 according to the first embodiment. In FIG.6, the application configuration table 1142 in the management computer1100 includes respective identifiers of an application 5300, a site5350, a host 5400, and a volume 5450 used by the application. Theapplication 5300 stores therein an identifier of an application. Thesite 5350 stores therein an identifier of a site to which theapplication shown in the application 5300 belongs. The application 5400stores therein an identifier of a host in which the application shown atthe application 5300 is in operation. The volume 5450 used by theapplication stores therein an identifier of a used volume of theapplication shown at the application 5300.

The application configuration information acquisition unit 1122 (seeFIG. 2) acquires information included in the application configurationtable 1142 from the host computer 1200 shown in FIG. 1. In thisembodiment, the storage system has two sites, namely, the primary site1700 and the remote site 1800. The application configuration informationacquisition unit 1122 collects the application configuration table 1280(see FIG. 3) from the host computer 1200 at the each site and createsthe application configuration table 1142 from the applicationconfiguration table 1280.

Reference numerals 5210 to 5230 each indicate information on anapplication present in the host computer 1200 at the primary site 1700and the remote site 1800 in the storage system shown in FIG. 1.

More specifically, the reference numeral 5210 indicates that theapplication referred to as AP1 belongs to a site referred to as Site A,operates in the host computer 1200 referred to as Host A, and uses onlya volume referred to as VOL1. The reference numeral 5220 indicates thatthe application referred to as AP2 belongs to a site referred to as SiteA, operates in the host computer 1200 referred to as Host A, and usesonly the volume referred to as VOL2. The reference numeral 5230indicates that the application referred to as AP3 belongs to a sitereferred to as Site A, operates in the host computer 1200 referred to asHost A, and uses the two volumes referred to as VOL2 and VOL3. In otherwords, the applications AP2 and AP3 share the volume VOL2.

FIG. 7A shows an example of a volume configuration table 1144A at theprimary site 1700 (see FIG. 1) in the management computer 1100 accordingto the first embodiment. FIG. 7B shows an example of a volumeconfiguration table 1144B at the remote site 1800 (see FIG. 1) in themanagement computer 1100 according to the first embodiment. The sitevolume configuration table 1144 (see FIG. 2) in the management computer1100 includes the primary site volume configuration table 1144A and theremote site volume configuration table 1144B.

In FIG. 7A, the primary site volume configuration table 1144A includesrespective identifiers at a primary site volume 5600 and of anapplication 5700 which is using a volume. The primary site volume 5600stores therein an identifier of a volume present at the primary site1700. The application 5700 which is using a volume stores therein anidentifier of an application using the volume shown at the primary sitevolume 5600. The site volume configuration table creation unit 1126 (seeFIG. 2) acquires information on the volume used by an application fromthe application configuration table 1142 and also acquires informationon a volume not used by an application from the unused volumeinformation acquisition unit 1125. The management computer 1100 canacquire information on all volumes at the primary site 1700.

Reference numerals 5510 to 5540 each indicate information on a volumepresent in the storage apparatus 1300 at the primary site 1700 in thestorage system shown in FIG. 1.

More specifically, the reference numeral 5510 indicates that the volumereferred to as VOL1 is used by an application referred to as AP1. Thereference numeral 5520 indicates that the volume referred to as VOL2 isused by applications referred to as AP2 and AP3. In other words, theapplications AP2 and AP3 share the volume VOL2. The reference numeral5530 indicates that a volume referred to as VOL3 is used by anapplication referred to as AP3. The reference numeral 5540 indicatesthat a volume referred to as VOL4 is not used by any application.

In FIG. 7B, the remote site volume configuration table 1144B includesrespective identifiers of a remote site volume 6100 and of anapplication 6200 which is using a volume. The remote site volume 6100stores therein an identifier of a volume present at the remote site1800. The application 6200 which is using a volume stores therein anidentifier of an application using the volume shown at the remote sitevolume 6100.

Similarly to the primary site volume configuration table 1144A of FIG.7A, the site volume configuration table creation unit 1126 (see FIG. 2)acquires information on a volume used by an application from theapplication configuration table 1142 and also acquires information on avolume not used by an application from the unused volume informationacquisition unit 1125. In this embodiment, the remote site 1800 isassumed to be a site prepared as a copy destination, and thus, anyvolume in the remote site 1800 is not used. In the present invention,however, even if an application is running at a site and if the sitestill has a necessary and sufficient unused volume, the site may be setas a remote site. Therefore, whether or not an application is running ata site does not make any difference.

Reference numerals 6010 to 6040 each indicate information on a volumepresent in the storage apparatus 1300 at the remote site 1800 in thestorage system shown in FIG. 1. The reference numerals 6010, 6020, 6030and 6040 indicate that the volumes referred to as VOL1, VOL2, VOL3 andVOL4 are unused, respectively.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a copy pair configuration definition table1146 stored in the management computer 1100 and the storage apparatus1300 according to the first embodiment. The copy pair configurationdefinition table 1146 of FIG. 8 is both in the management computer 1100and the storage apparatus 1300. In the storage system in FIG. 1,respective storage apparatuses 1300 at the primary site 1700 and theremote site 1800 have respective copy pair configuration definitiontables 1146.

The copy pair configuration definition table 1146 includes respectiveidentifiers of a primary site copy source volume 6850 and of a remotesite copy destination volume 6900. The primary site copy source volume6850 stores therein an identifier of a copy source volume. The remotesite copy destination volume 6900 stores therein an identifier of avolume to make a copy pair with the volume shown at the primary sitecopy source volume 6850. The copy pair configuration definition creationunit 1129 (see FIG. 2) determines a copy source volume and a copydestination volume according to an operation performed by a user andcreates the copy pair configuration definition table 1146. The presentinvention can be carried out in another configuration in which only themanagement computer 1100 includes the copy pair configuration definitiontable 1146; the management computer 1100 sends information only on acopy source volume to the primary site 1700 and sends information onlyon a copy destination volume to the remote site 1800; and communicationbetween the primary site 1700 and the remote site 1800 allows anoperation of creating a copy pair to be conducted.

Reference numerals 6802 to 6808 each indicate configuration definitioninformation on a copy pair in the storage system shown in FIG. 1. Thereference numeral 6802 indicates that a volume referred to as VOL1 and avolume referred to as VOL10 make a copy pair. The reference numeral 6804indicates that a volume referred to as VOL2 and volumes referred to asVOL11 and VOL12 make a copy pair. The reference numeral 6806 indicatesthat volumes referred to as VOL3 and VOL4 and a volume referred to asVOL13 make a copy pair. The reference numeral 6808 indicates thatvolumes referred to as VOL5 and VOL6 and volumes referred to as VOL14and VOL15 make a copy pair.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a GUI according to the first embodiment. Thecopy pair create window 7000 is an example of a display to realize thisembodiment. The copy pair create window 7000 includes a copy type selectwindow 7200, a copy source specify window 7300, a copy destinationspecify window 7700, and an OK button 7900.

The copy type select window 7200 is a window for selecting a copy type.A drop-down list 7240 displays available copy types. In this embodiment,the available copy types include, as an example, a synchronous copy andan asynchronous copy. Upon a user's selection of the copy type from thedrop-down list 7240, the copy type of a copy pair to be made isdetermined.

The copy source specify window 7300 is a window for selecting anapplication as a copy source. The copy source specify window 7300includes a copy source site specify window 7400 and a copy sourceapplication specify window 7500.

The copy source site specify window 7400 in the copy source specifywindow 7300 is a window for selecting a site as a copy source. Adrop-down list 7420 displays sites at the site 5350 in the applicationconfiguration table 1142 shown in FIG. 6, as a candidate copy source. Aselect button 7430 is a button for determining a site selected from thedrop-down list 7420 as a copy source site. A text box 7450 displays aname of the site selected from the drop-down list 7420 with the selectbutton 7430.

A copy source application specify window 7500 in the copy source specifywindow 7300 is a window for specifying an application as a copy source.A drop-down list 7520 displays an application at the site displayed inthe text box 7450. Such an application is acquired from the application5700 which is using a volume in the primary site volume configurationtable 1144A shown in FIG. 7A. An add button 7530 is a button for addingan application selected from the drop-down list 7520 as a copy sourceapplication. A text box 7550 displays a name of the application selectedfrom the drop-down list 7520 with the add button 7530.

The copy destination specify window 7700 is a window for specifying asite as a copy destination. A drop-down list 7720 displays a name of asite as shown in the configuration of FIG. 1. The name of a site isacquired from the management program 1120 (see FIG. 2) in the managementcomputer 1100. A select button 7730 is a button for determining the siteselected from the drop-down list 7720 as a copy destination site. A textbox 7750 displays the site name selected from the drop-down list 7720with the select button 7730.

The OK button 7900 is a button for determining creation of a copy pairconfiguration definition with the application shown in the text box 7550as a copy source and the site shown in the text box 7750 as a copydestination.

Below are described step-by-step operations for creating a copy pairconfiguration definition which are performed by a user using the GUI asshown in FIG. 9. First, the user specifies a site as a copy source andselects one or more applications constituting the task as a copy source.More specifically, the user selects the site as a copy source from thedrop-down list 7420 and clicks the select button 7430, to therebydetermine the copy source site. The determined copy source site isdisplayed in the text box 7450.

Next, an application as a copy source is determined. The user selects anapplication as a copy source from the drop-down list 7520 in which anapplication at a site displayed in the text box 7450 is displayed andclicks the add button 7530, to thereby select the copy sourceapplication. The determined copy source application is displayed in thetext box 7550. If the user wants to add another copy source application,the user once again selects a desired application from the drop-downlist 7520 and clicks the add button 7530, to thereby add another copysource application.

Next, a site as a copy destination is specified. The user selects a siteas a copy destination from the drop-down list 7720 and clicks the selectbutton 7730, to thereby determine the copy destination site. Thedetermined copy destination site is displayed in the text box 7750.

Finally, the user clicks the OK button 7900. This operation creates acopy pair configuration definition in which the application shown in thetext box 7550 is the copy source application, and the site shown in thetext box 7750 is the copy destination site.

FIG. 10 shows a flowchart of copy pair configuration definition creationaccording to the first embodiment. The processing of copy pairconfiguration definition creation in the management program 1120 in themanagement computer 1100 is performed by the application configurationinformation acquisition unit 1122, application configuration tablecreation unit 1124, unused volume information acquisition unit 1125,site volume configuration table creation unit 1126, GUI display unit1127, and copy pair configuration definition creation unit 1129.

The processing starts at step S6500. In step S6510, the applicationconfiguration information acquisition unit 1122 acquires configurationinformation on an application at each site. More specifically, theapplication configuration information acquisition unit 1122 requests theapplication configuration information acquisition unit 1217 in the hostcomputer 1200 to acquire the application configuration table 1280 inwhich information on an application in the host computer 1200 ismanaged.

In step S6520, the application configuration table creation unit 1124creates the application configuration table 1142 in which the receivedapplication configuration table 1280 is arranged with information on asite to which an application of interest belongs and information on ahost in which the application is in operation.

In step S6525, the unused volume information acquisition unit 1125requests the storage microprogram 1330 in the storage apparatus 1300 toacquire a name of a site connected to the management computer 1100 and ausage condition of a volume at the site. That is, the unused volumeinformation acquisition unit 1125 acquires information on an unusedvolume at the site.

In step S6530, the site volume configuration table creation unit 1126creates the site volume configuration table 1144 using the applicationconfiguration table 1142 created in step S6520 and the usage conditionin the storage system received in step S6525.

In step S6535, the copy pair configuration definition creation unit 1129determines the copy type specified by the user and acquired via the GUIdisplay unit 1127. In step S6540, the GUI display unit 1127 displays alist of the sites included in the configuration shown in FIG. 1 to theuser. The copy pair configuration definition creation unit 1129determines a site specified by the user as a copy source site.

In step S6550, the GUI display unit 1127 displays, to the user, anapplication at the site determined by the copy pair configurationdefinition creation unit 1129 in step S6540. The copy pair configurationdefinition creation unit 1129 determines an application specified by theuser from among applications at the site as a copy source application.Generally, the replication as described above is performed by a task asa unit, and the task is typically configured by a plurality ofapplications. Thus, a plurality of applications can be specified as acopy source herein.

In step S6560, the copy pair configuration definition creation unit 1129references the site volume configuration table 1144 created in stepS6530. In step S6570, the copy pair configuration definition creationunit 1129 selects a volume used by the application determined in stepS6550 without duplication. In step S6580, the copy pair configurationdefinition creation unit 1129 determines the volume selected in stepS6570 as a copy source volume. More specifically, if a group constitutedby a plurality of applications (for example, AP1, AP2, AP3) to be copiedis specified from the copy pair create window 7000 displayed by the GUIdisplay unit 1127, the copy pair configuration definition creation unit1129 selects, without duplication, volumes (for example, VOL1, VOL2,VOL3) used by the specified group based on the volume configurationinformation and determines the volumes as copy source volumes. Note thatVOL2 is used in both AP2 and AP3, however, is selected only once withoutduplication.

In step S6590, the GUI display unit 1127 displays the sites included inthe configuration shown in FIG. 1 to the user. The copy pairconfiguration definition creation unit 1129 determines a site specifiedby the user from the displayed sites as a copy destination.

In step S6600, the copy pair configuration definition creation unit 1129references the volume configuration table 1144 created in step S6530. Instep S6610, the copy pair configuration definition creation unit 1129determines whether or not there is a volume having a capacity equal toor more than a capacity of the copy source volume determined in stepS6580, at the site determined in step S6590.

In step S6620, if there is a volume having a capacity equal to or morethan a capacity of the copy source volume determined in step S6580, atthe site determined in step S6590 (Yes in step S6610), the copy pairconfiguration definition creation unit 1129 determines the volume as acopy destination volume.

In step S6590, if there is not a volume having a capacity equal to ormore than a capacity of the copy source volume determined in step S6580,at the site determined in step S6590 (No in step S6610), the GUI displayunit 1127 again displays the sites included in the configuration of FIG.1 to the user. The copy pair configuration definition creation unit 1129determines a site specified by the user from among the displayed sitesas a copy destination. If an unused volume is not determined at all copydestination sites, the GUI display unit 1127 may make the display unit1170 display a message warning that a sufficient capacity of an unusedvolume in the copy destination is not found.

In step S6630, the copy pair configuration definition creation unit 1129creates a copy pair configuration definition in which the volumedetermined in step S6580 is the copy source, and the volume determinedin step S6620 is the copy destination. In step S6640, the processing ofcopy pair configuration definition creation terminates.

Second Embodiment

The first embodiment has described that a copy pair is created fromamong a plurality of applications constituting a task, by the task as aunit. A second embodiment describes that a copy pair is created among aplurality of applications in a cluster configuration.

The cluster configuration shown in the second embodiment realizes ahigh-level availability in which, if a host computer in which anapplication is performing a processing has a trouble, anotherapplication same as the former on standby in another host computer cantake over the processing. In such a configuration, the same applicationsexist in different host computers. Such applications share a samevolume. Note that, in some cases, the cluster configuration has apurpose of load balancing in which a same application operates in eachof different host computers so as to distribute a processing across thedifferent host computers. However, the purpose of the clusterconfiguration is not herein considered in particular.

The second embodiment assumes that, for example, if a plurality ofapplications have a cluster configuration in two different hostcomputers, the applications in the cluster configuration use a samevolume. If such applications are specified as a copy source, a volume asa copy source can be selected without duplication.

The second embodiment as a variation of the first embodiment describesthat, even if applications as a copy source have a clusterconfiguration, a copy pair configuration definition can be createdwithout duplication. A configuration of a storage system in the secondembodiment is shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, which is the same as theconfiguration in the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 shows an example of an application configuration table 1142Astored in the management computer 1100 according to the secondembodiment. The application configuration table 1142A of FIG. 11 shows acase where an application having a cluster configuration is present inthe storage system. Below is described the application configurationtable 1142A, focusing on a difference from the application configurationtable 1142 shown in FIG. 6 in the first embodiment. The applicationconfiguration table 1142A includes respective identifiers of theapplication 5300, site 5350, host 5400, and volume 5450 used by theapplication. A configuration of the application configuration table1142A is same as that of application configuration table 1142 in themanagement computer 1100 in the first embodiment. However, in the secondembodiment, the application 5300 of the application configuration table1142A has the identifiers of the applications having a clusterconfiguration. The applications in the cluster configuration use a samevolume.

Reference numerals 5211 to 5231 indicate information on applicationspresent in the host computer 1200 at the primary site 1700 and theremote site 1800, if the storage system having the configuration shownin FIG. 1 has applications in a cluster configuration. The referencenumeral 5211 indicates that an application AP1 belongs to a sitereferred to as Site A, runs in a host computer Host A, and uses only avolume VOL1. The reference numeral 5221 indicates that an applicationAP2 belongs to the site Site A, runs in the host computer Host A, anduses only a volume VOL2.

The reference numeral 5231 indicates that the application AP2 belongs toSite A, runs in Host A, and uses only VOL2. That is, AP2 has a clusterconfiguration in the two different host computers, Host A and Host B.

FIG. 12 shows an example of a cluster configuration table 8300 accordingto the second embodiment. The cluster configuration table 8300 is atable constituting the application configuration table 1280 in the hostcomputer 1200. The cluster configuration table 8300 includes respectiveidentifiers of an application 8350, Active 8400, and Stand-by 8500. Theapplication 8350 stores therein an identifier of an application havingthe cluster configuration. The Active 8400 stores therein an identifierof a host computer in operation among the host computers in which theapplication shown at the application 8350 is present. The Stand-by 8500stores therein an identifier of a host computer on standby among thehost computers in which the application shown at the application 8350 ispresent. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the applicationconfiguration information acquisition unit 1217 in the agent program1216 acquires information on a cluster configuration from an applicationin a host computer to which the application configuration informationacquisition unit 1217 belongs.

Reference numerals 8310 to 8320 indicate information on the applicationshaving a cluster configuration in the host computer 1200 in the storagesystem shown in FIG. 1. The reference numeral 8310 indicates that theapplication AP2 has a cluster configuration, the application shown atthe Active 8400 is in the host computer referred to as Host A, and theapplication shown at the Stand-by 8500 is in the host computer Host B.The reference numeral 8320 indicates that an application AP3 has acluster configuration, the application shown at the Active 8400 is in ahost computer Host C, and the application shown at the Stand-by 8500 isin a host computer Host D.

Next is described a processing of a copy pair configuration definitionaccording to the second embodiment, with reference to FIG. 10. Herein isdescribed only a difference from the processing of a copy pairconfiguration definition according to the first embodiment. In stepS6510, the application configuration information acquisition unit 1122in the management computer 1100 requests the application configurationinformation acquisition unit 1217 in the host computer 1200 to acquirethe application configuration table 1280 and the cluster configurationtable 8300.

In step S6550, the copy pair configuration definition creation unit 1129references the cluster configuration table 8300 acquired from the hostcomputer 1200. The GUI display unit 1127 displays only an application atthe Active 8400 among applications in a cluster configuration.Typically, a user knows which applications have a cluster configuration.Further, the applications in the cluster configuration use a samevolume. Thus, the user has to do is only to specify an applicationcurrently in operation as a copy source.

In this embodiment, if the user specifies an application having thecluster configuration as a copy source, the user can determine a volumeas the copy source without particularly identifying the clusterconfiguration of the applications. For convenience of description, theapplication at the Active 8400 is displayed herein. However, any one ofthe applications in the cluster configuration may be displayed.Therefore, the application displayed to the user may be any at theActive 8400 or the Stand-by 8500 in the present invention. In thisembodiment, the cluster configuration table 8300 is separately providedfrom the application configuration table 1142A constituting themanagement table 1140. However, a table in which the clusterconfiguration table 8300 is combined with the application configurationtable 1142A may be provided.

With the processing described above, even if a copy source applicationhas a cluster configuration, the copy pair configuration definition canbe created without duplication or incompatibility.

Third Embodiment

The present invention can be applied even if an application isconstituted by a plurality of sub-applications. Herein, the applicationconstituted by a plurality of sub-applications is referred to as acomposite application. In other words, the composite application is agroup constituted by a plurality of sub-applications. In a thirdembodiment, the composite application may include an application forintegrating and managing a plurality of sub-applications such as an ERP(enterprise resource planning) package. In the present invention, if acomposite application is specified as a copy source, a volume as thecopy source can be selected without duplication. Below is described thisembodiment focusing on a difference from the first embodiment. Theconfiguration of a storage system in the third embodiment is shown inFIG. 1 to FIG. 4, which is the same as the configuration described inthe first embodiment.

FIG. 13 shows an example of a composite application configuration table8600 according to the third embodiment. The composite applicationconfiguration table 8600 is a table constituting the applicationconfiguration table 1280 in the host computer 1200 in this embodiment.The composite application configuration table 8600 shows a configurationof a composite application and includes respective identifiers of acomposite application 8700 and of a configuration application 8800. Thecomposite application 8700 stores therein an identifier of a compositeapplication which is present in its own host computer 1200. Theconfiguration application 8800 stores therein an identifier of anapplication constituting the application shown of the compositeapplication 8700. In the present embodiment, the applicationconfiguration information acquisition unit 1217 is assumed to acquireinformation on a configuration of a composite application from anapplication in its own host computer 1200.

Reference numerals 8610 and 8620 indicate information on a compositeapplication in the host computer 1200 in the storage system shown inFIG. 1. The reference numeral 8610 indicates that an application ERP1 isconfigured by sub-applications AP1, AP3 and AP5. That is, theapplication ERP1 uses volumes used by the sub-applications AP1, AP3 andAP5. The reference numeral 8620 indicates that an application ERP2 isconfigured by sub-applications AP2 and AP4. That is, the applicationERP2 uses volumes used by the sub-applications AP2 and AP4.

FIG. 14 shows an example of a GUI according to the third embodiment.Next is described a difference between a copy pair create window 9000 ofFIG. 14 in this embodiment and the copy pair create window 7000 of FIG.9 in the first embodiment. The copy pair create window 9000 includes thecopy type select window 7200, a copy source specify window 9300, thecopy destination specify window 7700, and the OK button 7900. The copytype select window 7200 and the copy destination specify window 7700 areconfigured same as those of the copy pair create window 7000 shown inFIG. 9. Thus, only the copy source specify window 9300 is described indetail below.

The copy source specify window 9300 is a window for selecting anapplication as a copy source. The copy source specify window 9300includes the copy source site specify window 7400, a copy sourcecomposite application specify window 9500, and a copy source generalapplication specify window 9600. The copy source site specify window7400 is configured same as that of the copy pair create window 7000 ofFIG. 9. Thus, the copy source composite application specify window 9500and copy source general application specify window 9600 are describedbelow.

The copy source composite application specify window 9500 in the copysource specify window 9300 is a window for specifying a compositeapplication as a copy source. A drop-down list 9520 displays a compositeapplication included in a site displayed in the text box 7450. Note thatthe drop-down list 9520 also displays a sub-application constituting thecomposite application. However, such a sub-application (for example,AP1, AP3 and AP2) may preferably not be selected directly from the textbox 7450. An add button 9530 is a button for adding the compositeapplication selected from the drop-down list 9520 as a copy sourcecomposite application. A text box 9550 displays the name of thecomposite application selected from the drop-down list 9520 with the addbutton 9530.

The copy source general application specify window 9600 in the copysource specify window 9300 is a window for specifying a generalapplication, that is, a non-composite application, as a copy source. Adrop-down list 9620 indicates a general application at a site displayedin the text box 7450. Note that the drop-down list 9620 does not displaya composite application displayed in the drop-down list 9520. An addbutton 9630 is a button for adding the general application selected fromthe drop-down list 9620 as a copy source general application. A text box9650 displays the name of the general application selected from thedrop-down list 9620 with the add button 9630.

The OK button 7900 is a button for determining creation of a copy pairconfiguration definition. If the user clicks the OK button 7900, themanagement program 1120 creates the copy pair configuration definitionin which an application shown in the text box 9550 and the text box 9650is the copy source and a site shown in the text box 7750 is the copydestination.

Below are described step-by-step operations for creating a copy pairconfiguration definition which are performed by a user using the GUI ofFIG. 14, while focusing on a difference from the operations using theGUI of FIG. 9. First, a task as a copy source is determined. The userspecifies a site as a copy source and then selects one or moreapplications constituting the task as the copy source. The operations ofselecting the copy source site are the same as those shown in FIG. 10.

Next is determined a composite application as the copy source. The userselects a composite application as the copy source from the drop-downlist 9520 in which composite applications at a site displayed in thetext box 7450 are displayed and clicks the add button 9530, to therebyselect the copy source composite application. The application determinedas the copy source composite application is then displayed in the textbox 9550. If the user wants to add another composite application as thecopy source, the user once again selects a desired composite applicationfrom the drop-down list 9520 and clicks the add button 9530, to therebyadd another application as a copy source.

Next is specified a site as a copy destination. The user selects a copydestination site from the drop-down list 7720 and clicks the selectbutton 7730, to thereby determine the copy destination site. Thedetermined copy destination site is displayed in the text box 7750. Nextis determined a general application as a copy source. The user selects ageneral application as a copy source from the drop-down list 9620 inwhich general applications at a site displayed in the text box aredisplayed and clicks the add button 9630, to thereby determine the copysource general application. The determined copy source generalapplication is displayed in the text box 9650. If the user wants to addanother general application as the copy source, the user once againselects a desired general application from the drop-down list 9620 andclicks the add button 9630, to thereby add another copy source generalapplication.

Then the copy destination site is specified with the same operations asthose of FIG. 9. Finally, the user clicks the OK button 7900. Thisoperation creates the copy pair configuration definition in which theapplication shown in the text box 9550 and the text box 9650 is the copysource and the site shown in the text box 7750 is the copy destination.In this embodiment, the composite application configuration table 8600is separately provided from the application configuration table 1142constituting the management table 1140. However, a table in which thecomposite application configuration table 8600 is combined with theapplication configuration table 1142 may be provided.

Next is described a flow of the processing in this embodiment withreference to FIG. 10. Herein is described only a difference from theprocessing shown in FIG. 10 in the first embodiment. In step S6510, theapplication configuration information acquisition unit 1122 in themanagement computer 1100 requests the application configurationinformation acquisition unit 1217 in the host computer 1200 according tothe configuration shown in FIG. 1 to acquire the applicationconfiguration table 1280 and the composite application configurationtable 8600.

In step S6550, the copy pair configuration definition creation unit 1129references the composite application configuration table 8600 acquiredfrom the host computer 1200. The GUI display unit 1127 displays acomposite application (for example, see the drop-down list 9520 in FIG.14) to the user. This operation can prevent the user from selecting acomposite application as a copy source and copying a same volume induplicate. Note that a general non-composite application is displayed tothe user as in the first embodiment (for example, see the drop-down list9620 in FIG. 14).

In this embodiment, even if the user specifies a composite applicationas a copy source, the user can determine a volume as a copy sourcewithout particularly specifying that the composite application isconstituted by a plurality of sub-applications. For convenience ofdescription, the plurality of sub-applications constituting thecomposite application are displayed but would not be selected. However,what is only necessary herein is to select a volume of a compositeapplication without duplication, using information on the compositeapplication. Therefore, any form of a display of the compositeapplication to the user is available.

The processing described above allows to create the copy pairconfiguration definition without duplication or incompatibility even ifan application as a copy source is a composite application.

Fourth Embodiment

A fourth embodiment describes that the present invention can be appliedin a server virtualization environment. A technique of servervirtualization can realize one more virtual servers (or VMs: virtualmachines) on one or more physical servers. The technique of servervirtualization has been widely spread in recent years.

One of the characteristics of the technique of server virtualization isthat a server virtualization program manages OS image, configurationinformation of a VM and its associated data. In some cases, all the datadescribed above is managed as a single file. The configurationinformation includes information necessary for the VM to operate, suchas, for example, the number of processors in a physical server, a memorysize, and an operation rate of I/O processing capacity. Suchcharacteristics of the technique of server virtualization allow aresource of a physical server to be used effectively, leading to anadvantageous effect on reduction of cost in hardware and its management.

The server virtualization environment in this embodiment means anenvironment in which a server virtualization program is operated in ahost computer, and a plurality of VMs can be operated on the program. Inthis embodiment, one application operates in one VM. However, any numberof applications may operate in the present invention.

A configuration of a storage system according to this embodiment isshown in FIG. 1 (general configuration), FIG. 4 (storage apparatus1300), FIG. 15 (management computer 1100), FIG. 16 (host computer 1200),and FIG. 17 (the volume 1311 in the storage apparatus 1300). Theconfigurations shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 in this embodiment are thesame as those in the first embodiment. Next is described the storagesystem according to this embodiment, focusing on a difference from thataccording to the first embodiment.

FIG. 15 shows the configuration of the management computer 1100 in thefourth embodiment. The management computer 1100 in FIG. 15 has a samephysical configuration as that of the management computer 1100 in FIG.2. However, a processings performed by the management program 1120, andthe management table 1140 in the memory 1270 according to thisembodiment are different from those according to the first embodiment.

The management program 1120 includes a VM configuration informationacquisition unit 9910, a VM configuration table creation unit 9912, theunused volume information acquisition unit 1125, a site volumeconfiguration table creation unit 9915, the GUI display unit 1127, andthe copy pair configuration definition creation unit 1129. The unusedvolume information acquisition unit 1125, GUI display unit 1127, andcopy pair configuration definition creation unit 1129 have sameconfigurations as those in the first embodiment. The VM configurationinformation acquisition unit 9910 acquires information on a volume usedby a VM in the host computer 1200 at each site. The VM configurationtable creation unit 9912 creates a VM configuration table 9920 (see FIG.19) in which the information acquired by the VM configurationinformation acquisition unit 9910 is arranged. The site volumeconfiguration table creation unit 9915 creates a site volumeconfiguration table 9924 (see FIG. 20A and FIG. 20B) based on the VMconfiguration table 9920 created by the VM configuration table creationunit 9912 and the information acquired by the unused volume informationacquisition unit 1125.

FIG. 16 shows a configuration of the host computer 1200 in the fourthembodiment. The host computer 1200 in FIG. 16 has a same physicalconfiguration as that of the management computer 1200 in FIG. 3.However, data in the local disk 1210 and a table in the memory 1270 inthis embodiment are different from those in the first embodiment.

The local disk 1210 is a disk unit connected to the host computer 1200,such as a hard disk drive and stores therein a server virtualizationprogram 9940. The server virtualization program 9940 is loaded into thememory 1270 of the host computer 1200 and is executed by the CPU 1220.The server virtualization program 9940 is a program for acquiringinformation on an application operating on the host computer 1200 and aVM, based on instructions from the VM configuration informationacquisition unit 9910 in the management computer 1100. The host computer1200 executes the server virtualization program 9940, to thereby make aVM and an application stored in the storage apparatus 1300 connected tothe host computer 1200 execute. The VM configuration table 9950 in thememory 1270 will be described later.

FIG. 17 shows a configuration of the volume 1311 in the storageapparatus 1300 according to the fourth embodiment. The volume 1311 inFIG. 17 corresponds to the volume 1311 in FIG. 4 in the disk unit 1310of the storage apparatus 1300. The volume 1311 in FIG. 17 includes anapplication 9960, VM information 9965, and a data 9970. The VMinformation 9965 includes an OS image and configuration information. Thedata 9970 is used by the application 9960 or the like. For convenienceof description, FIG. 17 shows that the single volume 1311 has one unitof the application 9960, VM information 9965, and a data 9970. However,a volume used by a VM may be a plurality of volumes. Or, an application,a VM, and a data may be stored in a plurality of volumes distributedly.

The application 9960 and the VM information 9965 are loaded into thememory 1270 in the host computer 1200 and are executed by the CPU 1220.The application 9960 and the VM information 9965 are a program andinformation each for executing a processing by reading and writing thedata 9970 in the volume 1311 in the storage apparatus 1300.

FIG. 18 shows an example of the VM configuration table 9950 in the hostcomputer 1200 in the fourth embodiment. The VM configuration table 9950in the host computer 1200 at each site shown in FIG. 18 includesrespective identifiers of a VM 9980 and a volume 9985 used by the VM.The VM 9980 stores therein an identifier of a VM which is operating inits host computer 1200 and is using a volume in the storage apparatus1300. The volume 9985 used by the VM stores therein an identifier of avolume used by the VM shown in the VM 9980. In this embodiment, theserver virtualization program 9940 can acquire information on the VMwhich is operating in its host computer 1200.

Reference numerals 9976 to 9978 indicate information on a volume used bya VM which operates in the host computer 1200 at the primary site 1700in the storage system shown in FIG. 1. The reference numeral 9976indicates that a VM referred to as VM1 uses only a volume referred to asVOL1. The reference numeral 9977 indicates that a VM referred to as VM2uses only a volume referred to as VOL2. The reference numeral 9978indicates that a VM referred to as VM3 uses two volumes referred to asVOL2 and VOL3. That is, VM2 and VM3 share VOL2.

FIG. 19 shows an example of the VM configuration table 9920 in themanagement computer 1100 according to the fourth embodiment. The VMconfiguration table 9920 in the management computer 1100 includesrespective identifiers of a VM 9995, a site 10000, a host 10005, and avolume 10010 used by the VM. The VM 9995 stores an identifier of a VM.The site 10000 stores an identifier of a site to which the VM shown atthe VM 9995 belongs. The host 10005 stores an identifier of a host inwhich the VM shown at the VM 9995 is operating. The volume used by theVM 10100 stores an identifier of a used volume of the VM shown at the VM9995. Information constituting the VM configuration table 9920 isacquired by the VM configuration information acquisition unit 9910 inthe management computer 1100 from the host computer 1200 in theconfiguration as shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, it is assumed thatthere are two sites, the primary site 1700 and the remote site 1800. TheVM configuration information acquisition unit 9910 acquires the VMconfiguration table 9975 in the host computer 1200 at each site andcreates the VM configuration table 9920 from the acquired VMconfiguration table 9975.

Reference numerals 9991 to 9993 indicate information on a VM in the hostcomputer 1200 at the primary site 1700 and the remote site 1800 in thestorage system having the configuration shown in FIG. 1. The referencenumeral 9991 indicates that a VM referred to as the VM1 belongs to asite referred to as Site A, operates in the host computer 1200 referredto as Host A, and uses only a volume referred to as VOL1. The referencenumeral 9992 indicates that a VM referred to as VM2 belongs to a sitereferred to as Site A, operates in the host computer 1200 referred to asHost A, and uses only a volume referred to as VOL2. The referencenumeral 9993 indicates that a VM referred to as VM3 belongs to a sitereferred to as Site A, operates in the host computer 1200 referred to asHost A, and uses two volumes referred to as VOL2 and VOL3. That is, VM2and VM3 share VOL2.

FIG. 20A shows an example of the primary site volume configuration table9924A stored in the management computer 1100 according to the fourthembodiment. FIG. 20B shows an example of the remote site volumeconfiguration table 9924B stored in the management computer 1100. Theprimary site volume configuration table 9924A and the remote site volumeconfiguration table 9924B are tables constituting the volumeconfiguration table 9924 at each site in this embodiment.

In FIG. 20A, the primary site volume configuration table 9924A includesrespective identifiers of the primary site volume 5600 and of a VM 10200which is using a volume. The primary site volume 5600 stores therein anidentifier of a volume present at the primary site 1700. The VM 10200which is using a volume stores therein an identifier of a VM using avolume shown at the primary site volume 5600. The site volumeconfiguration table creation unit 9915 acquires information on a volumeused by the VM from the VM configuration table 9920 and also acquiresinformation on a volume not used by the VM from the unused volumeinformation acquisition unit 1125. This enables the management computer1100 to acquire information on all the volumes at the primary site 1700.

Reference numerals 10210 to 10240 each indicate information on a volumepresent in the storage apparatus 1300 at the primary site 1700 in thestorage system having the configuration shown in FIG. 1. The referencenumeral 10210 indicates that a volume referred to as VOL1 is used by aVM referred to as VM1. The reference numeral 10220 indicates that avolume referred to as VOL2 is used by two VMs referred to as VM2 andVM3. That is, VM2 and VM3 share VOL2. The reference numeral 10230indicates that a volume referred to as VOL3 is used by a VM referred toas VM3. The reference numeral 10240 indicates that a volume referred toas VOL4 is an unused volume.

In FIG. 20B, the remote site volume configuration table 9924B includesrespective identifiers of a remote site volume 6100 and a volume usingVM 10700. The remote site volume 6100 stores therein a volume present atthe remote site 1800. The volume using VM 10700 stores therein a VMusing a volume shown at the remote site volume 6100. Similarly to theprimary site volume configuration table 9924A of FIG. 20A, the sitevolume configuration table creation unit 9915 acquires information on avolume used by the VM from the VM configuration table 9920 and alsoacquires information on a volume used by the VM from the unused volumeinformation acquisition unit 1125. In this embodiment, it is assumedthat the remote site 1800 is a site to be used as a copy destination.Thus, any volume at the remote site 1800 is unused. In the presentinvention, however, any site having a necessary and sufficient unusedvolume may be set as a copy destination, whether or not a VM is runningat the site of interest.

Reference numerals 10510 to 10540 each indicate information on a volumepresent in the storage apparatus 1300 at the remote site 1800 in thestorage system having the configuration shown in FIG. 1. Referencenumerals 10510, 10520, 10530 and 10540 indicate that the volumes VOL1,VOL2, VOL3 and VOL4 are unused, respectively.

FIG. 21 shows an example of the GUI according to the fourth embodiment.Herein is described only a difference between the copy pair createwindow 11000 in FIG. 21 and the copy pair create window 7000 in FIG. 9.The copy pair create window 11000 includes the copy type select window7200, a copy source specify window 11300, the copy destination specifywindow 7700, and the OK button 7900. The copy type select window 7200and the copy destination specify window 7700 are configured same asthose in the copy pair create window 7000 shown in FIG. 9. Thus, onlythe copy source specify window 11300 is described below in detail.

The copy source specify window 11300 is a window for selecting a VM as acopy source. The copy source specify window 11300 includes the copysource site specify window 7400 and a copy source VM specify window11500. The copy source site specify window 7400 is configured same asthe copy pair create window 7000 shown in FIG. 9. Thus only the copysource VM specify window 11500 is described below.

The copy source VM specify window 11500 in the copy source specifywindow 11300 is a window for specifying a VM as a copy source. Adrop-down list 11520 displays a VM at a site displayed in the text box7450. An add button 11530 is a button for adding the VM selected fromthe drop-down list 11520 as a copy source VM. A text box 11550 displaysthe name of the copy source VM selected from the drop-down list 11520with the add button 11530.

Below are described step-by-step operations for creating a copy pairconfiguration definition in this embodiment, showing a difference fromthe operations according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 9. First,a task of a copy source is determined. A user specifies a site as a copysource and selects a VM constituting the task as a copy source. Theoperations of selecting the copy source site are the same as those shownin FIG. 9.

Next is determined a VM as a copy source. The user selects a VM as acopy source from the drop-down list 11520 in which a VM at the sitedisplayed in the text box 7450 is displayed and clicks the add button11530, to thereby determine the copy source VM. The determined copysource VM is displayed in the text box 11550. If the user wants to addanother copy source VM, the user once again selects a desired VM to beadded from the drop-down list 11520 and clicks the add button 11530, tothereby add another copy source VM.

Next is specified a copy destination site. The user selects a site as acopy destination from the drop-down list 7720 and clicks the selectbutton 7730, to thereby determine the copy destination site. Thedetermined copy destination site is displayed in the text box 7750.

Finally, the use clicks the OK button 7900. This operation makes themanagement program 1120 create a copy pair configuration definition inwhich the VM displayed in the text box 11550 is the copy source, and thesite displayed in the text box 7750 is the copy destination.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a processing of copy pair configurationdefinition creation according to the fourth embodiment. The processingof copy pair configuration definition creation which is executed by themanagement program 1120 in the management computer 1100 shown in FIG. 22is similar to the processing shown in FIG. 10, if the term “application”in FIG. 10 is substituted for the term “VM” in FIG. 22. Below isdescribed the processing in detail.

The processing starts at step S11600. In step S11610, the VMconfiguration information acquisition unit 9910 acquires VMconfiguration information at each site. More specifically, the VMconfiguration information acquisition unit 9910 requests the servervirtualization program 9940 in the host computer 1200 included in theconfiguration shown in FIG. 1 to acquire the VM configuration table 9950in which information on a VM in the host computer 1200 is managed. Instep S11620, the VM configuration table creation unit 9912 creates theVM configuration table 9920 in which information on a site to which theVM belongs and information on a host in operation is arranged, from thereceived VM configuration table 9950.

In step S11630, the unused volume information acquisition unit 1125requests the storage microprogram 1330 in the storage apparatus 1300 toacquire a name of a site connected to the management computer 1100 and ausage condition of a volume at the site. In step S11640, the site volumeconfiguration table creation unit 9915 creates the site volumeconfiguration table 9924 in which a relation between the VM at the siteand the volume is arranged, based on the VM configuration table 9920created in step S11620 and the usage condition of the storage receivedin step S11630. In step S11650, the copy pair configuration definitioncreation unit 1129 determines a copy type specified by the user andacquired via the GUI display unit 1127.

In step S11660, the GUI display unit 1127 displays a list of sitesincluded in the configuration shown in FIG. 1 to the user. The userspecifies a site from the list. The copy pair configuration definitioncreation unit 1129 determines the site as a copy source site. In stepS11670, the GUI display unit 1127 displays, to the user, VMs present atthe site determined by the copy pair configuration definition creationunit 1129 in step S11660. The copy pair configuration definitioncreation unit 1129 determines a plurality of the VMs specified by theuser as copy source VMs. Generally, replication as described above isperformed by a task as a unit. A task is typically constituted by aplurality of applications, each of which runs in a VM on a one-to-onebasis. Thus, a plurality of VMs can be specified herein as copy sources.

In step S11680, the copy pair configuration definition creation unit1129 references the volume configuration table 9924 at the site createdin step S11640. In step S11690, the copy pair configuration definitioncreation unit 1129 selects a volume used by the VM determined in stepS11670 without duplication. In step S11695, the copy pair configurationdefinition creation unit 1129 determines the volume selected in stepS11690 as a copy source volume.

In step S11700, the GUI display unit 1127 displays a site included inthe configuration shown in FIG. 1 to the user. The copy pairconfiguration definition creation unit 1129 determines the sitespecified by the user from among the sites acquired via the GUI displayunit 1127, as a copy destination site. In step S11710, the copy pairconfiguration definition creation unit 1129 references the volumeconfiguration table 9924 at the site created in step S11640. In stepS11720, the copy pair configuration definition creation unit 1129determines whether or not there is a volume having a capacity equal toor more than a capacity of the copy source volume determined in stepS11695, at the site determined in step S11700.

In step S11740, if there is an unused volume having a capacity equal toor more than a capacity of the copy source volume determined in stepS11695, at the site determined in step S11700 (Yes in step S11720), thecopy pair configuration definition creation unit 1129 determines thevolume as the copy destination volume.

In step S11700, if there is not an unused volume having a capacity equalto or more than a capacity of the copy source volume determined in stepS11695, at the site determined in step S11700 (No in step S11720), theGUI display unit 1127 again displays the site included in theconfiguration shown in FIG. 1 to the user. The copy pair configurationdefinition creation unit 1129 determines the site specified by the useras the copy destination site.

In step S11750, the copy pair configuration definition creation unit1129 creates a copy pair configuration definition in which the volumedetermined in step S11695 is the copy source, and the volume determinedin step S11740 is the copy destination. In step S11755, the processingof copy pair configuration definition creation terminates.

In the present invention, a VM is specified as a copy source. This makesit possible to create a copy pair configuration definition withoutduplication or incompatibility. Creation of the copy pair configurationdefinition by a VM as a unit allows a batch copy of OS images andconfiguration information on a VM, an application operating in the VM,and its associated data. Thus, a task as a copy source can be performedwithout configuration information, installing an application, or anyother works at a copy destination.

Fifth Embodiment

The fourth embodiment has described that a copy pair can be created in aplurality of VMs constituting a task, by the task as a unit. A fifthembodiment describes that, in a server virtualization environment, acopy pair configuration definition can be created by a site as a unit asdescribed in the first embodiment. The site used in the fifth embodimentmeans a set configured by the host computer 1200, the storage apparatus1300, and the data network 1500 for connecting the former two, in theserver virtualization environment described in the fourth embodiment.

It is advantageous to construct a replication environment by the sitebecause, if a disaster recovery is performed at a site, many users wantto protect all tasks rather than a specific task at the site. In thepresent invention, a site is specified as a copy source. This makes itpossible to create a copy pair configuration definition withoutduplication or incompatibility. Additionally, after a copy source isspecified by the site, an unnecessary VM among VMs at the specified sitecan be deleted from the copy source. This allows a further effectivereplication.

Creation of a copy pair configuration definition by the site allows abulk copy of OS images and configuration information on a VM, anapplication operating in the VM, and its associated data. Thus, aconfiguration of a site as a copy source can be created withoutconfiguration information, installing an application, or any other worksat a copy destination. Note that a configuration of the storage systemin this embodiment is the same as that in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 23 shows an example of a GUI according to the fifth embodiment. InFIG. 23, the copy pair create window 12000 includes the copy type selectwindow 7200, a copy source specify window 12200, the copy destinationspecify window 7700, and the OK button 7900. The copy type select window7200 and the copy destination specify window 7700 are configured same asthose in the first embodiment. Thus, only the copy source specify window12200 is described below in detail.

The copy source specify window 12200 is a window for selecting a site asa copy source. The copy source specify window 12200 includes a copysource site specify window 12500 and a copy source VM specify window12600. The copy source site specify window 12500 is a window forspecifying a site as a copy source. A drop-down list 12520 displays asite shown at the site 10000 in the VM configuration table 9920 of FIG.19 as a candidate copy destination. An add button 12530 is a button foradding the site selected from the drop-down list 12520 as a copy sourcesite. A text box 12550 displays the name of the site added from thedrop-down list 12520 with the add button 12530.

The copy source VM specify window 12600 is a window for specifying a VMas a copy source. A copy source VM name 12620 indicates that a name ofthe copy source VM is displayed. A text box 12630 to the right of thecopy source VM name 12620 displays a VM included in the site displayedin the text box 12550. A delete button 12610 is a button for deleting aVM selected from among one or more VMs displayed in the text box 12630.The delete button 12610 can eliminate an unnecessary VM as a copy sourcefrom a plurality of VMs at the site specified in the copy source sitespecify window 12500.

Below are described step-by-step operations for creating a copy pairconfiguration definition in this embodiment with reference to FIG. 23,showing a difference from the operations shown in FIG. 9 in the firstembodiment. First, a task as a copy source is determined. A userspecifies a site as a copy source and deletes, if needed, an unnecessaryVM from among one or more VMs included in the selected site. Next isdetermined a site as a copy source. The user selects a site as the copysource from among one or more sites displayed in the drop-down list12520 and clicks the add button 12530, to thereby determine the site asthe copy source.

If the user wants to add another copy source site, the user once againselects a desired site to be added from the drop-down list 12520 andclicks the add button 12530, to thereby add another copy source site. Ifthe user wants to delete an unnecessary VM from among the VMs at thesite, the user selects a VM to be deleted from the text box 12630 andclicks the delete button 12610, to thereby delete the unnecessary VM.

Next is specified a copy destination site, operations of which are thesame as those shown in FIG. 9 in the first embodiment. Finally, the userclicks the OK button 7900. This operation makes the management program1120 create a copy pair configuration definition in which the VM shownin the text box 12630 is the copy source, and the site shown in the textbox 7750 is the copy destination.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing a processing of copy pair configurationdefinition creation according to the fifth embodiment. The processing isdescribed below with reference also to FIG. 1 where necessary. Theprocessing of copy pair configuration definition creation which isexecuted by the management program 1120 in the management computer 1100shown in FIG. 24 is described below in detail, while showing adifference from the processing shown in FIG. 22 in the fourthembodiment.

The processing in this embodiment is the same as that in the fourthembodiment from step S11600 at which the processing starts, to stepS11650 in which the copy pair configuration definition creation unit1129 determines a copy type. Thus, the processing after step S11650 isdescribed below.

In step S13050, the GUI display unit 1127 displays a list of one or moresites included in the configuration shown FIG. 1 to the user. The copypair configuration definition creation unit 1129 determines one or moresites specified therefrom by the user as a copy source. In step S13060,the GUI display unit 1127 displays one or more VMs present at the sitedetermined in step S13050 to the user and makes the user determinewhether or not there is a VM unnecessary to be copied from among thedisplayed VMs. In step S13065, if there is a VM unnecessary to be copied(Yes in step S13060), the copy pair configuration definition creationunit 1129 deletes the unnecessary VM from the copy source VM. If thereis not a VM unnecessary to be copied (No in step S13060), the processingproceeds with step S13070.

In step S13070, the copy pair configuration definition creation unit1129 references the volume configuration table 9924 at the site createdin step S11640. In step S13080, the copy pair configuration definitioncreation unit 1129 selects a volume used by the VM not deleted in stepS13065 without duplication. In step S13090, the copy pair configurationdefinition creation unit 1129 determines the volume selected in stepS13080 as a copy source volume.

The processing in this embodiment is the same as that in the fourthembodiment from step S11700 in which the copy source site is specified,to step S11740 in which the copy destination volume is determined.

In step S13140, the copy pair configuration definition creation unit1129 creates a copy pair configuration definition in which the volumedetermined in step S13090 is the copy source, and the volume determinedin step S11740 is the copy destination. In step S13150, the processingof copy pair configuration definition creation terminates.

In the present invention, a site is specified as a copy source. Thismakes it possible to create a copy pair configuration definition withoutduplication or incompatibility.

In this embodiment, the management computer 1100 consolidates managementof a usage condition of a volume from the host computer 1200 and thestorage apparatus 1300 at each site and prevents a volume fromduplicating among applications as a copy source. This makes it possibleto select a used volume of an application as a copy source withoutexcess or deficiency. Further, in this embodiment, if a replicationenvironment is constructed in a large-scale storage system, managementof a usage condition of a volume in the host computer 1200 and thestorage apparatus 1300 at each site is consolidated. This makes itpossible to create a copy pair configuration definition by the taskwhich is constituted by a plurality of applications. That is, even if aplurality of applications share a single and same volume, a replicationenvironment can be constructed by the task without causing such problemsas a redundant configuration and inconsistent data between applications.

The embodiments according to the present invention have been explainedas aforementioned. However, the embodiments of the present invention arenot limited to those explanations, and those skilled in the artascertain the essential characteristics of the present invention and canmake the various modifications and variations to the present inventionto adapt it to various usages and conditions without departing from thespirit and scope of the claims.

1. A method of constructing a replication environment in a storagesystem having a plurality of sites, each site including one or more hostcomputers, one or more storage apparatuses, and a management computer,the one or more host computers and the one or more storage apparatusescommunicating with each other via a first network, and the plurality ofsites communicating with the management computer via a second network,comprising: acquiring application configuration information on whichapplication in the host computer at each of the sites uses which volume,from each of the host computers via the second network; creatingmanagement computer application configuration information on whichapplication in which host computer at which site uses which volume,using the acquired application configuration information, and storingthe management computer application configuration information in amemory unit; acquiring information on an unused volume in each of thestorage apparatuses via the second network from each of the storageapparatuses; creating volume configuration information for each of thesites in which the created management computer application configurationinformation and the acquired information on the unused volume isarranged, and storing the created volume configuration information inthe memory unit; selecting, in creating configuration definitioninformation on a copy pair including an original volume into which datain the host computer at a first site among the plurality of sites iswritten and a duplicated volume into which data at a second site amongthe plurality of sites is copied, upon specification of an applicationat the first site and the second site as a copy destination by an inputunit, a volume used by the specified application at the first sitewithout duplication by referencing the volume configuration informationat the first site among the volume configuration information at each ofthe sites stored in the memory unit, determining the volume used by thespecified application at the first site as a copy source volume, andalso determining an unused volume at the specified second site as a copydestination volume by referencing the volume configuration informationat the second site among the volume configuration information at each ofthe sites stored in the memory unit; and creating the configurationdefinition information on a copy pair associating the determined copysource volume with the determined copy destination volume, and storingthe copy pair configuration definition information in the memory unit.2. A storage system, comprising: one or more host computers; one or morestorage apparatuses; and a management computer, wherein the one or morehost computers and the one or more storage apparatuses communicatingwith each other via a first network, wherein the one or more hostcomputers and the one or more storage apparatuses communicating with themanagement computer via a second network, wherein the managementcomputer acquires an application configuration information on whichapplication in the host computer uses which volume, from each of thehost computers via the second network, wherein the management computercreates management computer application configuration information onwhich application in which host computer uses which volume, using theacquired application configuration information, and storing the createdmanagement computer application configuration information in a memoryunit, wherein the management computer acquires information on an unusedvolume in each of the storage apparatuses via the second network fromeach of the storage apparatuses, wherein the management computer createsvolume configuration information in which the created managementcomputer application configuration information and the acquiredinformation on the unused volume is arranged, and stores the createdvolume configuration information in the memory unit, wherein themanagement computer creates configuration definition of a copy pairincluding an original volume into which data in the host computer iswritten and a duplicated volume into which data is copied, and storingthe copy pair configuration definition in the memory unit, and wherein,upon specification of a group constituted by a plurality of applicationsas a copy source by an input unit, wherein the management computerselects a volume used by the specified group without duplication byreferencing the volume configuration information, determines theselected volume as a copy source volume, also determines the unusedvolume as a copy destination volume, and creates copy pair configurationdefinition information associating the copy source volume with the copydestination volume.
 3. The storage system according to claim 2, whereinthe group is constituted by one or more applications constituting atask.
 4. The storage system according to claim 2, wherein, if themanagement computer determines from the application configurationinformation that an application has a cluster configuration, themanagement computer displays a name of an active application among twoor more applications configuring the cluster.
 5. The storage systemaccording to claim 2, wherein, if the application is a compositeapplication constituted by a plurality of sub-applications, wherein themanagement computer creates composite application configurationinformation associating a name of the composite application with namesof the sub-applications constituting the composite application, andstores the created composite application configuration information inthe memory unit, and wherein the management computer displays the nameof the composite application on the display unit.
 6. The storage systemaccording to claim 5, wherein the group is included in the compositeapplication.
 7. The storage system according to claim 2, wherein thestorage system has a plurality of sites at each of which the one or morehost computers and the one or more storage apparatuses communicate witheach other via the first network, and wherein the management computerdetermines a volume at a site other than the site having the copy sourcevolume, as the copy destination volume.
 8. A storage system, comprising:one or more host computers; one or more storage apparatuses; and amanagement computer, wherein the one or more host computers and the oneor more storage apparatuses communicating with each other via a firstnetwork, wherein the one or more host computers and the one or morestorage apparatuses communicating each with the management computer viaa second network, wherein the management computer acquires informationon a virtual machine in the host computer and a used volume in thevirtual machine, wherein the management computer creates virtual machineconfiguration information associating the information on the virtualmachine and the used volume acquired by the virtual machineconfiguration information acquisition unit, and storing the virtualmachine configuration information in a memory unit, wherein themanagement computer acquires information on an unused volume from thestorage apparatus, wherein the management computer creates volumeconfiguration information in which the virtual machine configurationinformation and the information on an unused volume acquired by theunused volume information acquisition unit is arranged, and storing thecreated volume configuration information in the memory unit, wherein themanagement computer creates a configuration definition of a copy pairincluding an original volume into which data in the virtual computer iswritten and a duplicated volume into which data is copied, and storingthe copy pair configuration definition in the memory unit, and wherein,upon specification of the virtual machine as a copy source by an inputunit, wherein the management computer selects a volume used by thespecified virtual machine without duplication by referencing the volumeconfiguration information, determines the selected volume as a copysource volume, also determines the unused volume as a copy destinationvolume, and creates copy pair configuration definition informationassociating the copy source volume with the copy destination volume. 9.The storage system according to claim 8, wherein the storage system hasa plurality of sites at each of which the one or more host computers andthe one or more storage apparatuses communicate with each other via thefirst network.
 10. The storage system according to claim 9, wherein themanagement computer determines a volume at a site other than the sitehaving the copy source volume, as the copy destination volume.
 11. Thestorage system according to claim 9, wherein, if the input unit selectsone or more sites as a copy source, the management computer displays aname of the virtual machine at the selected site on a display unit byreferencing the volume configuration information, and also displays oneor more sites as a copy destination on the display unit.